Ahead of the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu picked Kashim Ibrahim Shettima, currently a Senator and former governor of Borno State, as his running mate.
The announcement was made by Tinubu while addressing journalists in Daura Katsina on Sunday during his visit to President Muhammadu Buhari to pay Sallah homage in the company of the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari.
The development came after Alhaji Masari withdrew as the running mate placeholder of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Here is all you need to know about Kashim Shettima, a native of Nimeri Korongoso, Lamisula, Shehuri North, Maiduguri, Borno State who was born on September 2, 1966.
Education
From 1972 to 1978, Shettima attended Lamisula Primary School in Maiduguri followed by Government Community Secondary School, Biu in the southern part of Borno State between 1978 to 1980 and completed his secondary education at Government Science Secondary School, Potiskum neighbouring Yobe State in 1983.
Shettima attended the University of Maiduguri where he earned a degree (BSc) in Agricultural Economics in 1989 and had his one-year compulsory membership of the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, from 1989 to 1990 at the defunct Nigerian Agricultural Cooperative Bank, Calabar, capital of Cross River State in South-South, Nigeria.
In 1991, he obtained a master’s degree (MSc) in Agricultural Economics at the University of Ibadan in Southwest, Nigeria and started his career as a lecturer at the University of Maiduguri, the Department of Agricultural Economics until 1993.
Early career and foray into politics
Shettima entered into the banking industry in 1993, as the head of accounts unit at the defunct Commercial Bank of Africa Limited in Ikeja and later on joined the African International Bank Limited as a Deputy Manager in 1997 – he would later rise to become the Manager in 2001.
Shortly after his appointment as manager in 2001, he soon left the company to join Zenith as head of its main branch in Maiduguri and consequently rose to the level of Senior Manager for Zonal Head Assistant General Manager and Zonal Head Deputy General Manager. He stepped out of the Zenith Bank as a General Manager in 2007 following his appointment as Commissioner for Finance in Borno State.
Between 1993-1997, Shettima also worked with the Commercial Bank of Africa as an Agricultural Economist at its Ikeja Office. Between 1997 and 2001, he became a deputy manager and later manager, at the African International Bank Limited, Kaduna Branch.
In 2007, he was made the Commissioner of the Borno State Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and he later became Commissioner in the Ministries of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Education, Agriculture and later Health under the then Borno Governor Ali Modu Sheriff.
From 2007 to 2011, he served as Commissioner in 5 Ministries, and in February 2011. he was selected in a second primary following the death of Engineer Modu Fannami Gubio, the governorship candidate who was shot dead.
In the 26 April 2011 elections, Shettima won over Muhammed Goni, candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.
Fighting insurgency
Shettima managed the challenges arising from the Boko Haram insurgency after assuming office in 2011. With the approval of the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Army in 2013, his government formalized the establishment of youth volunteers called the Civilian JTF.
On Monday, January 7, 2019, during a visit to President Buhari Buhari in Abuja at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Shettima broke down in tears, urging the President to do all he could to stop the insurgents, who now attack communities at will.
Years later, Shettima in an interview, commended President Buhari for tackling the insecurity in his state to an appreciable extent where territories were no longer taken over by Boko Haram.
Other life endeavours
Earlier in the year, Shettima, alongside the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, visited Gamboru town in the state by road to distribute cash and food items to resettled internally displaced persons.
The duo supervised and got directly involved in the distribution of relief materials and cash to 60,813 internally displaced persons who had recently returned to their ancestral homes.
He is also known to be a strong promoter of Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition.
He is married to Nana Shettima and they have three children: two females and a male.
Awards and recognitions
Shettima won a number of awards and recognitions, including the 2014 Governor of the Year (Leadership Newspapers), Governor of the Year, 2015, (Nigeria Union of Journalists, national body); Governor of the Year, 2015 (NewsWatchTimes Newspapers); Governor of the Year, 2015 (Vanguard Newspapers); Governor of the Year, 2016 (Tell Magazine); 2017 Zik Prize for Leadership; Kaduna NUJ Award for courage and exceptional leadership (2017), FCT NUJ Merit Award for exceptional Leadership, 2017.
